Electric switch



OCI. 22, 1935. A, Q VON NQRMANN 2,018,476

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 16, 19:53 -2 sheets-sheet 1 22 l935- A. G. voN NORMANN 2,018,476

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .J 7 2,6 27" 24 /9 23 v 2l l l /4 E 2a /6 /5 j fr /5 t `\\\\\1\\ i: l .-22 /A f 3653 39 53 f I l l l l x r /f/f :f F237. 7

6 INVENTOR rimas oa. zz, 193s UNITED s'r.'.'rF.s PATsN-T OFFICE y ausm. anneau@ sum is, im, semiv No. use

steun.. (asn-se)- hy invention-eiste. to an electric my zinsen and the general object of my invention is to 'provide mi` electric safety switch which is compact and simple in construction; reliable. eflicient and safe inl operation; not expensive to man acture; easytoinstallandserviceandsafe to due to the provision of safety features which are embodied in the construction of the switch and in the housing or receptacles for said Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and emcient switchwhich is built in the form of a compact unit and in which aplurality of these units are especially well adapted for grouping. in' instances where more thamone lswitchunitisused.

voom-:fcctliefuses.` y

Another object of the inventionis to provide an electric safety switch in which the fuse members and switch contact members are located` in 'two separate compartments and in which access to the fuse compartmentmay be had without opening the compartment in which the contact members are loca Another object of the invention is to provide an electric safety switch having safety features which make it impossible to open the cover of the fuse compartment except when the switch is in electrically open position and which further make it impossible to electrically close the switch until thecoverof the fusecompartment' has been closed. I

Another ,object of the invention is to provide switch cabinet orthiscype.

Other and more specinc objects of the inven- 'be apparent from the following descripin aocordance 'n..sisalongmmmaincunnofznsm lubstantiallyonbrokeninef-lnflll.

aisacrosszsectionsubstanv tiallyombroken amiens pmuvevieym Fig. 5 is a detached plan view'of a movable carriage-:member which carries the switch blades and the fuse clips. j

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i Like reference numerals designate like parts ls throushout the several views.

In the construction of this rswitch I provide a rectangular housing, preferably formed in two halves Il and ll'separable along the line i2 and secured together in assembled relation by screws zo Il. Each side wall of the housing is internally` provided with a longitudinal groove or trackway Il for the reception of pins or rollers I5 in the edges of a carriage plate l0 .which is movable longitudinally within the housing. Preferably 25 two of the pins Il are provided at each edge of the carriage plate It adjacent the respective *corners thereof and the said pins I5` are preferably slidable lengthwise in holes I1. Fig. 8, in the carriage plate and are urged outwardly by so compresion springs Il whereby they may be pressed into the carriage plate to permit said car'riageplatetobeinse'rtedintothehousing without separating the two parts of the housing. l

' When the carriage plate is properly` assembled l5 in the homing it maybe moved lengthwise between the closed switch position shown in Fig. 2.

to the open switch position shown in Fig. 6.

A box like fuse cover 20, having one open side, is hinged to the carriage plate Il by hingemeans e0 2| in such a manner that the carriage plate Il forms a closure means for the open side of the box like cover. The sides of the `cover member Il are externally provided with lugs 22 which are longitudinally. movable in grooves 23 in the 45 "sides of the housing Il-I( and which are positioned to register with notches 24 when the carriage plate i I is in open switch-position whereby thecovermemberllmaybeswungupwardly' into an open position as shown in Fig. 6. The I0 notches 24 are in nange portiom is of the housing wallswhichoverhang the grooves 2l and the Kcover 3l can be raised only when the lugs 22`are 2am alignment with the notches v24. This man; 1t.

vtoc penthecoverIlwhentheswiteli is closed. The cover member 20 has an internal, medially disposed longitudinal partition 25 which divides said cover member into two compartments for the housing of two .fuse members 26 which are each held by two .spaced apart fuse clips 21 of the usual form. The fuse clips 21 are electrically connected with switch blades 28 by screws 29. The switch blades 28 are positioned on the opposite side of the carriage plate fromy the fuse clips 21 and the screws 29 also serve as a means for rigidly securing both the fuse clips 21 and the switch blades 28 to the carriage plate I6. Obviously more than two sets of fuse clips and switch blades may be provided side by side on the carriage plate if desired. The front end of the cover 20 may have a flange 30 thereon which is provided with a notch 3i through which an eye member V32 may extend wherebythe cover member 20 may be fastened with a seal or may be locked in a closed position as by insertion of vthe shackle of a padlock, not shown, through the 'to a bar or member 40 which extends crosswise of the housing IIE-II approximatelymid way between the two ends thereof. The switch jaws 34, 35, 31.and 38 are positioned in alignment with the switch blades 28 whereby the switch blades 28 may 'enter between csaid jaws when the several parts are in the closed switch position shown in Fig. 2. l

The switch/jaw 34'maybe electrically connected by yan I.. shaped conductor member 4I with a main electrical onductor 42 through which current is supplied. In a similar manner the switch jaw 35 may be connected by L shaped conductor member 43 with another main electrical conductor 44. The two main electrical conductors 42 and 44" are illustrated as bus bars which 4extend crosswiselof the switch housing and which are of advantage where a plurality of these switches are placed side by side close to each other. Obviously circuit wires may be used instead of bus bars if desired. The other two switch v jaws 31 and 38 are-electrically connected respectively with L shaped conductor members 45s and 46 which are connected by terminal clips 41 and 48 'with circuit wires 49 and 50. Provision is thus made for electrically connecting or electricallyception of sheets or plates of insulating material 52 whereby/the several bus barsand conductor members are more yeffectively insulated from each `mechanism proper is located.

. In the operation of this switch, when the carriage plate I6 is in the position shown-in Fig. 2 the switch blades 28 will be in engagement with the switch Jaws 34,' 35, 31 and 38 and the wires 49' `fuse members.

v switch can be closed.

and 50 will be electrically connected respectively with the bus bars 42 and 44 through the fuse members 26. When the switch is in this electrically closed position the cover 20 of the fuse compartment can not be ,opened due to the fact that lugs 22 on the outer sides of said cover 20 are held down by the flange members which overhang the grooves 23. This makes it necessary to open the switch before access can be'had to the The switch is moved between the open and closed positions by grasping. the cover member 20, which forms a convenient hand hold. When the carriage platev I6 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the switch blades 28 will be withdrawn from the switch jaws and the switchwill be open. In this open switch position the lugs 22 on the cover 20 will be positioned so that they will pass through the notches 24 andthe cover may be opened or closed at will. If an attempt is made to close the switch while the cover 20 20 is in the open position shown in Fig. 6, said cover will strike against the end of the housing and block the closing of the switch. This makes it necessary to close the cover 20 before the K 25 The bus bars 42 and 44 extending crosswise ci the switch are preferably used where a plurality of switches are positioned sidel by side and all connected with the same bus bars.

By placing the fuse members 26 in the com- 30 partment directly opposite to the switch mechanism and-by providing for a sliding movement of the carriage'and switch bladesdnsteadoi a swinging movement, I am able to provide a-very compact switch and one that can be installed in avery small space. This is a -very advantageous feature especially where several switches are required in one installation and where space is limited. 1

The foregoing description and accompanying drawingsclearly disclose a preferred .embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that f this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention maybe made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim: Y.

1. In an electric sailetyl switch of the class described, a housing of substantial depth, a carriage plate/guidedfor endwise movement in said housing substantially midway of the depth thereof, switch blades mounted on one side of said carriage plate, fuse clips mounted on the other side of said carriage plate and electrically connected with said switch blades, switch Jaws positioned 65 for engagement by said switch blades, fuse mem- 'bers supportedin said fuse clips, a box like cover pivotally mounted on said carriage plate and disposed partially within ,Isaid housing. said box like cover having one open side positioned adjacent the carriage plate whereby said. box like covermay close over said fuse membersLpartition means in said cover positioned to enter between said fuse members and provide a separate compartment for each fuse member, and cover holding devices operatively connecting the cover and the housing and holding adjacent sides of the the cover closed when the switch is in electrically .closed position.

2. In an electric safety switch of the class de- 7 scribed, a housing, a carriage plate guided for endwise movement in said housing, switch blades mounted on one side of saidcarriage plate, fuse clips mounted on the other side oi said carriage u plate and electrically connected with said switch blades, switch jaws positioned for engagement by said switch blades, fuse members supported in said fuse clips, a box like cover pivotally mounted on said carriage plate, said box like cover having one open side positioned adjacent the carriage plate whereby said box cover may close over said fuse members, said housing having grooves parallel to the plane of movement of said carriage plate and having notches which intersect said grooves, and lug members on the sides ci said cover arranged to. extend into-.said grooves and positioned in registration with said notches when said switch is in electrically open position whereby said cover may be opened and closed `when said switch is in electrically open position but will be held closed by engagement of said lug members within said grooves when said switch is in electrically closed position.

3. In an electric safety switch scribed, a housing having ing grooves in the sid 4walls thereof, a carriage of the class ie-` plate positioned within said housing, pins profor endwise movement in said housing, switch blades mounted on one side of said carriage plate, fuse clips mounted on the other side of said cary'riage plate and electrically, connected with said longitudinally extendi nal grooves in the blades mounted on one side of said carriage plate, fuse clips mounted on the other side of said carriage plate and electrically connected with said switch blades, switch jaws positioned for electrical contact by said switch blades, the walls of said housing extending beyond the side of the carriage plate on which the fuse members are mounted, and a box like cover member pivotally connected with one end portion of said carriage plate below the plane of the top of thev housing. said box like cover member having one yopen side positioned adjacent the carriage plate whereby said box like cover member may close over said fuse members, said box like cover member beingk positioned partly within said housing whereby A'it will engage with the wall of said housing when it is in open position and prevent closing of the switch when the cover member is open.

5. In an electric safety switch'of the class described, a rectangular housing having longitudiinner sides of the side walls theneof, a carriage plate of a width substantially ,equal to the interior width of said housing and of a length less than the interior length of the housing disposed within said housing, means guiding said carriage plate for endwise movement in said housing, switch jaws mounted in said `housing on one side of said carriage plate, electrical conductors connected with said switch jaws, switch blades secured to said carriage plate and movable with said carriage plate into electrically connected or electrically disconnected positions relative to said switch jaws, fuse clips mounted on the sides of said carriage plate opposite to said switch blades and electrically connected with said switch blades, fuse members connected with said fuse clips', a box like cover hinged to said carriage plate and forming a receptacle .for said fuse clips and fuse members, and means controlling the opening and closing of said cover member, said cover controlling means being governed by the positioning of said carriage plate.

ALFRED G. VGN NO 

